


insomnia somnium vidisse se dicat

by Justanothersinger



Series: Ignoct Week 2017 [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Tragedy, Drabble and a Half, Hurt No Comfort, IN SPACE!, M/M, Mystery, Mystery and Intrigue, Oh also, One-Sided Attraction, Outer Space, Secret Crush, Secrets, also this took TOO LONG, have fun reading, i am quite harsh on him lmao, im late for this ah well, long long long, oh poor poor Ignis, spoilers past chapter 9, to be exact, well once this mess is started there is no stopping the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-10 06:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11685666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Justanothersinger/pseuds/Justanothersinger
Summary: 'Such blissful days of normalcy.They seemed so far away now.To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor.It's all he has. It's all he has left.He tells himself this, as he walks forward to the future.The shards of his past, their past, tearing his feet.'Ignoct Week Day 5>Simple: Constellations>Situational: Ignis manages to use the last of the magic in him to bring Noctis back from the dead when he finds him on the throne.A prince who loved the stars finally gets to see them.





	insomnia somnium vidisse se dicat

insomnia somnium vidisse se dicat

A Final Fantasy XV fanfiction. 

 

These days, he doesn't even need the alarm to wake him up. 

No, he's got a human one right beside him, apparently. 

 

Noctis groans and shoves his head under the pillow. It only provides a brief reprieve before its snatched away and he groans feebly. 

"Come now, Noct. Morning waits for no man." Ignis says brusquely, and Noctis loses his blanket too to the Great Awakening of Insomnia to a literal bear man who's somehow also his friend. 

He glares at both Gladio and Ignis through half-lidded eyes and yawns. 

 

"But it's still dark outside..." Is his feeble excuse and they exchange a glance before Gladio bursts out laughing.

"Ha! Haven't heard _that_ one in a while!"  

"He's...definitely still half-asleep." Ignis says, as he conspicuously hides his mouth and a suspicious coughing sound comes out. Noctis merely glares at them before he gives up and pulls himself up into a sitting position. 

 

"Please tell me it's noon." Noctis manages out between yawns. 

"Nope, still breakfast time. Tough luck, princey boy." 

Noctis does brighten up a little bit at the prospect of food, even as he squints at the clock. 

 

"I guess I can live with that." 

 

He still lags behind as he gets ready, washing his face, brushing his teeth, every action with a half-hearted sort of languor. 

And takes his own sweet time as he exits the room, the dull, mechanical whirring settling into radio silence. Where Gladio and Ignis were waiting for him. There's a snort from Gladio and he pretends not to hear it. 

 

The cafeteria is mostly empty again when they enter. Noctis makes a beeline for the counter while the others make for the table. 

When he rejoins them, he sees Prompto and Iris in the group. 

 

"'Sup, buddy!" 

"'Sup." 

"You okay? You look like you've been dragged through a Chocobo racetrack and back." 

 

"Yeah. Just...nightmares." 

"Nightmares, again?" Iris asks worriedly, "Oh no, are you okay? Are they bad?" 

 

"Nah, nothing I can't handle." 

"Oh, look at this guy." Prompto snorts, "That kinda line only works when you don't have bags under your eyes, Noct." 

 

Noctis blinks, then touches the underside of his eyes, flushing red a bit, "I-It's not a big deal." 

"Now, now. As lovely as this is, we have to get on with breakfast, then on with our training." 

 

A collective groan from everyone except Gladio and Noctis says, "I'm still sore from yesterday, though! And nightmares!" 

"Neglect your training and those nightmares of yours will definitely come for you." Gladio points out. 

"Fiiiiine." 

 

He takes his own sweet time as he always does. People talk around him, to him, and the sound of voices is oddly comforting in the radio silence. 

Iris checks the plushies she's made for him and shows off her own moves, Prompto's fiddling around with his camera and snapping photos out the window. 

Gladio's reading the same old book he's read about 400 times now and Ignis is frowning long and hard at the food, book at his side. 

 

And Noctis faces away from all of them, staring out the window. Chin placed in hand, lazily picking up his spoon and fork as he eats. 

 

"Still half-asleep?" 

Ignis asks, settling down on the bench next to him. 

 

"80%." Noctis says. 

"Might I suggest some Ebony, then?" 

 

"Maybe." He doesn't make any move to take any though, "...Maybe not." He decides, after thinking. 

"Suit yourself. More for me, then." 

 

"Mm." 

It's at this point Noctis sets his container aside and sighs, wiping his mouth. 

 

"It's quite the sight, even after all this time. Isn't it?" Ignis asks. He too was staring out the window. 

A clear, pristine, glass-pane from the ceiling to the floor, separating the cold, sterile white of the cafeteria. 

 

And the frigid, beautiful darkness outside, with stars glimmering coldly at them as they drifted by. 

Sometimes, if he peered through carefully, Noctis could see the lukewarm colors of purple and pink, other colors glowing softly in the night. 

 

"Quite the sight alright." Noctis says. 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

  
Such blissful days of normalcy. 

They seemed so far away now. 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

When he wakes up again, it's to Prompto peering down at him. 

"...!" 

 

"Whoa! Sorry, buddy. You've uh, been knocked out quite a while, I was trying to wake you up and-" 

"I...It's nothing. No prob. What's wrong?" 

  
"Ignis needs some help." 

 

"Uh...sure. I'll be right there." 

 

Apparently, Ignis is in the control room. Noctis puts his boots on and is barely out the door when he sees Gladio. 

"Hey, Noct. You seen Iris anywhere?" 

 

"Huh? Uh, no. Not really. Just woke up..." 

"Hm." 

"I'm going to meet Ignis in the control room. Do you wanna come along?" 

 

"Sure. Keep an eye out for her if you see her, yeah?" 

 

"Cool. I'll join up with you guys later; I have to talk to Vyv." Prompto pipes up. 

"Vyv? Does he have another assignment for you?" 

"Kind of? Need to check on some things, but I'm taking my camera just in case." 

 

"Sure, okay. Have fun with that." Noctis says and he walks out the door, the dull, mechnical whirring settling in the radio silence.

 

The control room was on the other end of the spaceship, and quite a long walk. 

A very long, very uneventful walk. 

 

"Well, you've certainly kept me waiting." Ignis says, eyebrow raised. 

"Sorry. You seen Iris anywhere?" Noctis asks. 

 

"Hm?"

Ignis pauses. Seems to ponder something.

 

"No, not really. Do you want us to send out a search party for her?"

"No, I..."

 

Noctis looks up at Gladio.

 

"...I'll go look for her. Both of you have something important to do, right? Just don't crash the ship." He says brusquely. Then he walks out the door.

"...Ignis?"

  
"It's nothing. Well, since you're here, you'll have to oversee the system functions and-" 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

  
Such blissful days of normalcy. 

They seemed so far away now.

 

To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor. 

It's all he has. It's all he has left. 

 

 

 x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

He wakes up again. 

This time, it's Gladio. 

 

"...Hey, bug guy." 

"Hey." He's sitting at the edge of the pod and Noctis sits up. 

 

"What's up?" 

"Mhh. Nothing, really." 

"Sure sounds like nothing." 

 

"...Look, I don't know. Just...do you ever get the feeling that's something...off?" 

"Off?" 

"I don't know how to say it." Gladio seems to be considering something. His arms were folded, he stares at the ground. And Noctis waits, expectant. 

 

But before he could say anything, a loud piercing alarm tears through the silence. 

 

"...!" 

"Daemons. On the ship?!" 

 

Noctis looks at his watch, "Whatever it is, looks like it's in the main hull. Doesn't look friendly." 

"Great." 

"Well, wanna come with me? Some head bashing'll get some things off your mind." 

 

Gladio grins. 

"Sure. That'll help loads." 

 

 x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

Such blissful days of normalcy. 

They seemed so far away now.

 

To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor. 

It's all he has. It's all he has left. 

 

He tells himself this, as he walks forward to the future. 

The shards of his past, their past, tearing his feet. 

 

 x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

He watches Noctis and Gladio exit the room. 

And the dull, mechanical whirring of the camera watching them, fills the room. 

 

On the other side of the screen, Ignis watches them. 

 

"...." 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

He wakes up.

The air is colder.

 

He pulls himself up.

"...They're getting more predictable now." Noctis says. 

 

He pulls his glove on and experimentally flexes his arm, grimacing as he feels the pins and needles effect recede under his skin.

"How long's it been since the last attack?" Checking the dial on his watch, he sighs. 

 

"...Seriously? Whatever."

 

With a flourish, he summons his sword.

Just in time for the alarms to blare red.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

When he wakes up again, the air is...

Silent.

 

Cold.

Quiet.

 

Inside his pod, it's even colder. More alien, more plastic to the touch.

How long was he asleep?

...However long it was, it was long enough. There's a hissing sound as the pod opens. Remotely.

 

He blinks up at the open lid, then pulls himself up.

"What's wrong?" He asks the empty room.

 

" _Systems are failing._ " Ignis' tinny voice breaks through the silence. 

"Already? It hasn't even been 15 cycles." 

 

" _...It's taking less and less time to corrupt the support systems._ " 

 

"Is it the demons?" 

" _They're certainly not helping matters._ " 

 

"I'll clear out a pathway to the control room." 

" _Hurry._ " 

 

Ignis' voice already sounds strained. Scratchy. 

And he rushes towards the door. 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

It's harder and harder to keep up this facade.

It's taking all he has. All that he's made of, all that he owns.

 

And this ship falling apart certainly wasn't helping matters. 

 

The screens glitch to life, turning on, turning off, there's a low screeching noise as he struggles with the air locks. 

While built to house over a 1000 people, it doesn't seem to hold off daemon attacks. 

 

One hell of a rush job. 

On the cameras, Noctis easily, effortlessly makes his way past the waves of creatures, of daemons. 

 

**_Be safe, Noctis._ **

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

it's strange.

Something seems off. 

 

It's empty. 

Where was everybody? 

 

"Gladio? Prompto? Iris?" 

Did the daemons...?! 

 

He yanks the sword clean out of the daemon's skull and looks around. 

Then freezes abruptly. 

 

Someone else was...there. 

A figure dressed in a trenchcoat. 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

...Impossible. 

Inconceivable. 

 

How was...

 

" _Who are you?!_ " Noctis' voice through 

A spine-rending chill as the man chuckles. 

 

" **How hurtful, little prince."**  

He knows all too well, that voice.

 

" _What?_ " 

" **I wasn't expecting you to forget, even after all these years.** " 

 

No, no, no, this was all wrong. 

No.

 

"No͠c̴t͏i̧̡̨s̛͢͞!"

 

" _...! Ignis?_ " 

"Run!" 

 

" _But what...why?_ " 

" **And why not**?" The man says. His voice was distorted, his eyes were blackened, his pupils soulless. 

But it was him. 

 

Not again! 

 

The lights on the spaceship flicker. 

"Noctis, run!" 

 

And Noctis finally complies. 

He runs. He runs far, far away.  

Ardyn stands around in shock before he laughs, uproarious.

 

And he follows. 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

Through the empty cafeteria. 

Through the empty hallways. 

 

He runs and he runs. 

 

Where was he going? 

 

"Noct!" 

"G-Gladio?" Noctis huffs. There he was, standing in a doorway. "This way!" He yells. 

 

"This way, buddy!" 

"Prompto!" 

 

"Noct!!"

"Iris!" 

 

The minute he was through the door, it shuts immediately. 

Noctis looks around. 

 

"...Guys?" 

They're gone? 

 

"Noctis." 

Ignis stands there. But...Noctis had come through the entrance? 

"Go towards the escape pod." 

  
"But what about...the others? You?" 

"I'll be fine. Now, go!" 

 

To Ignis' relief, he complies. Even if he looked uncertain. 

And Ignis follows, to the center of the room.

Towards the pod that Noctis slept in. 

 

"Lie down in there. I'll be along shortly." 

"Ignis-" 

"You'll be fine." 

 

"...Hurry. Okay?" 

"I will. I'll-" 

 He's stopped dead. 

 

Ignis falls. 

"...!" 

Just as the glass lid falls. 

  
"Nooooctisss." 

He hears the whisper again. That voice. 

It sends a chill down his spine, a tightness in his gut. 

 

Rage. Rage in his heart. 

The man looms over the top of him again, gazing at him with the same expression. Gaping at him with a lopsided smirk. 

Dark tar oozing from his cheeks. 

 

"Where are you going?" 

"...Where..." 

So  _familiar._ Where does he know-

 

_Eme̢͠r̡g̕͠ȩncy shutdown activą̡t̷ed._

"What?!"

"...No! Ignis!"

 

His cries go unheard. 

The man is thrown back as the pod starts to rise. 

"Noctis!"

 

Out of the ship, impervious to his cry. 

He looks back down to see Ignis collapsed on the floor. 

 

" _You._ " His voice drips with venom and Ignis resists the urge to laugh, "You've cost me valuable time. Valuable...patience." 

"Ap̵ologies, bưt I really don't...care." 

It's harder to breath. Difficult to speak. 

 

The life support system had finally given out.

 

"Lack of oxygen of all things wouldn't result in the death of me, you know."

"I knǫw." 

 

Ignis stares up at him, even as his body flickers in and flickers out of existence. 

"Neither will̕ it be for ͟mȩ." 

"Oh, most certainly not. However, the power in this ship can't sustain such a complicated AI personality for long. Let alone three."

 

Behind him, Prompto, Gladio...Iris. 

They all stood, static, motionless, dead-eyed. Puppet-like. 

  
"We man̨age some̡ho̶w." 

 

"Is that how you tricked him?" Ardyn asks. He honestly sounds curious. 

"W̕e ̶didn̕'͡t̕ ̛do.̸..͠an̕y̶t͘hing҉ of t̨h̵e̷ sor͜ţ. ̧Ḩę...̵" 

 

His words were breaking down. 

He couldn't...play human anymore. 

Not that he ever believed for a second that he was. 

 

"He'd rem͠aine͞d҉ įn c̕ry̶ost͟aşi͡s for several thousand years. When the 114th king had t̢̨a̡̢k̡͢͡en Insomnia back, his friends...had found him dead upon the throne." 

"Pronounced 'dead'." Ardyn says, with a scoff, "If I had survived that ordeal, he had obviously done as well." 

"Yes. I͢͜g̛͢ņi̶͠s̵ S҉c̡͜i̧͞ȩ͠n͢t̢͡i̢a҉ had kept his body alive through cryostasis." 

 

"His Royal Highness sleeping through hundreds and thousands of years with that little girlfriend of his." Ardyn chuckles, "Is that why you've never made a puppet of her? Were you jealous, little machine man?" 

"N̶̷͜o̶̸̢̕.҉̛͟͡ ͜͏̶̨T҉̶͠h̶͘͞a̧̢̛͏t҉̴̧ ҉w̴̢͘͞ą͝͏͝͡s͟͏ ̵m̶͢e̴̶͠r͜͜͡҉e̶̡͢͠l̸͠҉̵҉y̸̕͜͞ ̸y̴͢͠o̶̵̷͜͞u̵͞r̸͜ ̡̧f͢a̵͘͘u͏̵l͠t̨.̨̧͘"

Ignis' expressions were harder to process now. His AI core was freezing up. 

But he was still able to direct a glare towards Ardyn. 

 

"Y̶̶̡͘͠ơ̸͞u̴ were the one who killed her. Hę͢͡s̨t̷i҉l͏l͏ ̕͞͏ļ̷̷ơ̸v͏͏͏e̸̡s̶͜ ͟͠her̢ even now. If I'd m͜a͞d̵e...an AI of the Oracle, h͞ȩ̶͟'̴̧d̛ ̛͘͜i̸m̕me̴͢d̸͞i̸̴͏a̕t͠ę̕l̵͜͡y̧ ą̕sso̷͘c̵͘͟į̶a̷͘͜t̡e̢ h̶̢er͡ w͟ith̛ y̧͜͝o̴u̴͢͜." 

"Must be harsh for the man who'd made all this with so much care." Ardyn drawls, sarcastic and biting. 

 

It was. 

Possibly. 

 

"He made all this. A habitat, a place of play for his beloved highness. Where he could sleep for several thousands of years at a time, get up and play with machine copies of his friends for a day and go back to sleep." 

"I̶̧n͟ ̛͠a ̶̡w̢a҉y̛͝."

 

"All for the prince who'd never love him back. Oh, what a tragedy, isn't it?" 

"Į͏̺̺̗͈̰͉͖ͅ wouldn't know." 

 

"I'm asking you." Ardyn says coldly, "He created you to watch him. In the night sky that he loved. You should know best what he wanted."

At this point in time, his emotional core had completely malfunctioned. 

His form was the next to suffer. 

 

"̴̥̰̼̱͚I̙̰ͅ ̦̱̤̱̳̕a̭̯m̨̰̼̠ ̼̖̩̬͖͓̠a̕n͈̻ ̟ͅA̫̖̭I̵̮̲̰̜͚͙̫.͉̫̣̳͓̻̲ ̡̞̭̪Cr̹e̸a̘̕t҉̱̭͔̣̟ed͞ ͖̻̘͎͜ͅt̵̻̗̤̜o ̜s͈̜͉̼̝e̸̙̰͕̭̫͖r̜͚̗̯͘v̬͇͢e̙̘̬̳̙.̶͉̪͈͓̩̘ͅ" 

"That man was a robot designing robots himself." Ardyn smirks, "He grew to love the person he's supposed to care for." 

 

Ardyn looks down as Ignis' form disappears and the lights in the ship start to falter. 

 

"So could you." 

"..." 

 

A rush of air as the ventilation fails. 

A substitute for a metallic sigh. 

  
"I̩̠͙ ̡w̻̗̣̠a̛s͎͙ ̥̻̺͕c̸r͈̝̙̖e̵̫̜̪a̤̻͈̗̻̘͚t͍͇̘̹ed͏̭̭̬̻̮ͅ ̲͍͙t҉o̲̣͞ ͘ser̗̞̘̖v̟̫e̠̰̬̞̳͞ ̷͔̥̖̜̙H̱͎̯̠̖͍͍i͖̭͇ș̬̣̝̯̤̝ ̧͍̩̟͇̜ͅH͔̝i͖̝͎̻̘g̡̥̖͕͈h͈n͈̩̦͔e̻̹̣͉̟ͅs̻̲̠s͍͞.̰͇̟͔.͕͘.͟H͙͡i̭s̳͙̼͔̼͖ ̦̩̖͎͍͓͝M̛̹̠̤͉̩̰͔a̟j̢͎͎e̶̼s̵̞̥͍̩̜t͏̣̦̠̭̰̱͍y̱̣͚̯̙̻̪͟ N̰o̭̝̠̻ct͇̜̮̜i͕̝̝͚͞s͕̮̩̝͙̙ Ḷu҉c̣͔͉i̸̺s̫̩͚͇ ̴C̬̬͎̟͎̜̫a͡e̯̗̟̩̺͖ͅl̫̥͍̥̹͝u̟̗͞m̪̼̻.̩ ̟̳̤̹͚̰͠A̜͓̬̻̩n̙͖̮̺̠̦d̘̯̬̲͍͕ ͔̫̖͙̲͙̮m̸͕͈̼̩͉ͅͅy̬̭ ̪̲̠̭̲̦̻͠f͈̫͘i̧̳͕̥̘̝̺̜n̙̩ͅa̫̣̜̝l̜̬͇̬͕̕ ̨̲d̦̹͈̣̰͇̱͟i͇̞̮̖r̪̭e̗c̰̥̰̬̲̥t̯̘͍̮͍i̪͈͔̯̞̣͞v̛̠͇̬̱̦̮e̖̦͠-" 

Loud blaring alarms. 

 

They drown out the next part. 

Ardyn barely even flinches as the room starts to cave in, as the ship starts to malfunction proper. 

 

As all the systems start to blink out of existence. 

As the AI's collective consciousness starts to die. 

 

"̡̤̺͖̮͈͎̣̣̤͎̉̉̾̌̈ͦ͌̀͊̔̚͠ͅI̛͚͈͎͔͉̞̥̜̭͎͕̙ͦ̈ͧͬͨ͆ͬͯ̆̿̓̀̆̂ͪ͌ͭ͆̍̕͢ ̶̨̗͖͓̫̮̼͚̹̈ͮ̋̐ͤ̉̇͒̉̇͂ͯ̏̑̂͆ͦ̚͘͡w̶̵̧̝̦͔̠̣̙ͫͨͨͤ̉ͭ̄̓̓̈̀̕i̊̽ͧͥͨ͌͆͗̆̎̿͋̇̎̄̊́ͫ́҉͎̥͖͍̖̠͓̼̺͚̱̪͡l̶̳̝̻̞̜̩͈̭̮̠͎̣̹̠̤͖̊̅͌͒̅ͦ̏ͦͣ̏ͭ͊ͥ͗̈̐̿̚͘͘͢͡ĺ̢̼̩̫͖̹͎̰̗̱̣̈ͯ̓̈́̃̒͜͞ͅ ͛ͩ͐̌̑̾҉͈͕̫͕̦̥͇͙͈͎̜̙p̧̔͑ͪ͐̆́̔͋ͦ̍ͧ̄̏͛̉̾ͬ͐͢͏̨͓̘̟͙̘r̴̴̼͔̭̯̤̝͚̘̞͉̜͇̭͔̥̩ͭͭ̿͗ͣͤͪ̋͛ͨ̋̽ͦͪͤͣ͒̉͑͘͝ͅo̢̨͔̤̺͖̯̹̞͎̰̪̪̪̹̮̮̻͖̪̖̽̇ͯͫ̓̍ͥ͌̒ͫ͠t̵̵̀̆̀̄̏ͥ̾ͮ̄͌ͫ́ͦ̓̎͌͂̐҉̙̼͚̲̟͉̖̜̻ͅͅe̢͍̖͚̜̲ͬ̋̏̏͐ͪͣ̊͑͐͛͑͋̿͋ͨ͘ͅc̸̷̛̩̥̼̙̹̻̝̰̹̟͈̹̯̺͈̤̲̲̑͗́̓͞t̷̨͇̖̣̯͉͍̱ͬ̍ͪͤ͂̌ͣ̅̾̐͆́͑̈́̚̚͠ ̶̧ͨ̌̉͂ͪ̆ͫͦ̂ͦ̅ͪ͊̂͝͏̥̮̰̲̣͖̞͇̳ͅh̷̛̹̟̭͚̙̝̰̫̥̘̝ͨ͂̆̓͆ͨͯ̄̆͊̿ͬͦ̌̅ͭ̚ͅi̷̡͕̳̪̮̱͚̠̎̅̃̔̔͌̋̚͢m̸̝͎̘̝̺̟̘̗̬̗͈̹̝ͤ̑̔ͨ̇̄̕͘,̨̛̛̖̯̫͓͓ͫ̓̈ͬ̃̊͋̾͒ͬ͋̌̾̎ͪ͠ ̸̨͖̲̳̪̟̗̬͉̮̱̻͈̞̮̻ͬ͐̇̒͗͋̎͒̓̀͘͢͝ͅI̭̘̞̤̺͎̹̥̯̮̝̥͎͔̤̙͖̭͗ͩͮ̇͌̓͗͂̂̀͛̈͟͜ ͙̭͚̭̪̹̺͇̗͔͖̝͉̰̬̻ͮ̂̋̾ͩ̐̔͒ͬͥ̄̌͝w̶͍̮̘̺̖͎͍̩̻̬̞̥͇̟̲̑̓̑ͫ̚̚̕i͌ͧ̈ͧ̇ͬ̽ͨͮͧ͒̇̀͌ͤ̌̃̀͏͈̖͖̣̖̫̺̮̫̬̬̣̪͜͝l̷ͮ̆ͭ̂ͪ̓̒҉̪̹͓̖̙̭̱̹ͅl̨̰̦̺̖̟̦̳͉̖̣̣̺̭ͧ̽̂̆̊ͯͭ̂ͯ͐ͫ̚͢͠ ̢͉̗̰͙̺̳͉̣̖̝̼̠̞̻̫ͤ̊̿̿ͩ͢͝ͅp̸̴͔̮̣̰̖͗̽ͪ́̌ͮ̋r̿̋͂̍ͤ͢͏̺̳̥̖̪̟͔̮̥͖̤̰͖͓o͚̫̝̖̰͉̤͈̪͖ͨͬͮͧͪ͌̇͒ͤ̃̐̚̚͡͞ͅt̨͎̞͓̝̳̻̞̼̙̰͕͕̖̔̄̇ͨ̄̄̋ͨͧ͛̑ͤ̿͂ͨͮ̈́̚͘͘͠e̅ͤ̏̽ͩ̔͋ͨ͠͏̙̝̪̜̳͖̙̝̘̲̘̼͈̖̫̘͝c̡͚̭̪̮͙͇̼̞̦͚ͮͩͬ́͛͑͊ͦ͟͜͝t̨̮̩̱̤̩̎ͦ̾̑ͅ ̽͐̃ͦ̽̈́ͧ͐͊̽͗̈ͬͨ̿̊̃̓҉̷̖̙̻̻͙̱̝̘͍̣̪̼̱̱̲̯h̷̺̪͇͙̬̘̤͇̝̯̳̳͓ͣ̐͆͋̄ͮ͌̉ͥͥ̑̈́́̂̓̕i̶̴̪̭̗͇̝̯̯̥̣͎̬̹͐͌̀̎̇̋̅̄̎ͨ́̌̾̀̐͜ṃ̸̧̢̰̙̭͚̭̲͕͓̻͛̋͒ͪ̋̎̃ͯ̀̈̋ͩͪ͊̀͂ͫ͛ͥ͢.ͦͤ̈͛̑̏ͨ̑͏̵̡̙̞̱̰̳͓̖̭̻͓̦̪͈̺ͅ"̈ͪ̒̚҉̛͓̣̺̫͚͖͇̩̭̞̟̤̥͇͇̟̰ ̧͇̥̥̰̣̻͙̭̞̠͖͈̯̳̑͐̀̾͂̊̓̈́͆͊͌̄͡  
̨̛̄͐͊ͭ̌̔ͨ͑̾͗̚̚͠͝҉͕͇̼͙͔͙̼͖̭͈̜̜̪͉̦̣̤̰̜  
ͤ̂ͭ̈ͩͩ̏̓̋̚̚҉̫̻͓̮̪͙͓͚͔͍͈̪͟͜"̷̷̧͓̞̭͈̩̭̍͋ͯ̏ͦ̇͗̀̍ͭ̚I̸̠̪͈͇̥̥̦̯̟͉̖̼͙̻̭͓̝̹̘ͭ̒͊̀́̽ͨͤ͌͌ͦ͋ͯ͆̋̐ͪ͝ ̏̈́̔ͭ̎̾͐ͮ͏̠̥̦̞̕ͅw̔ͫͫͣ͗ͤ̑̃̅̓̇ͩ̍͊̒̋͏̷̗͖̱̦̕i̵̷̵͕̫͓̹̫͉ͯͤ̄́̆ͬ̿̀ͣ͊̔̚͘l̸͔͚̟̠̤͔͉̦̰̰̙͒̒̽͂̄̒͑͒ͩ͘l̢̲̗̖̹͍ͨ̈́̽ͭ̇ͥ̇͑ͫ ̍͒͆̓͛̒͌ͮ̒ͬͥ̚͡҉̣͕̖͈̝͠p̸̢̭̞̣͚̠͖̰̳͔̺̮̯̰ͨ̎͑ͧ̒ͅr̸̶̢͍͍͖͍̯̞ͤ̾͊̄ͬ̾̈́ͨ̆̓ͦ̀̉̕ơ̶̭̭̺͈͈̳̳̠̖̠̟̿ͨͥ̈́ͫ̐ͮ͒̏ͤ̓̀̾ͦ̅ͤͦ͘͡t̡̮̘̝̺͕̊͒ͤ́e̛͌ͦͨͭ̄̀́̓̚҉̟͍̥̙̣̼̣̫c̶̸̷͚̹͖̝̖̋̐ͩ͌̐̽̎ͥ͘t̷̡̮͇͚̠͉̱͇̦̥̭̮̲͊̓̔͌̂ͬ̏̏̏̊̄̇ͭͅp̵̶̯̙̻̯͚̔̆ͥ͊̔̈ͬ͑͊̍ͫ̅̑ͯͮ̅͆̕͝ṙ̷̡̧̫̙̺̱͙͓͍͙̰͓͒ͩͯͮ͐ͩ̌̋͊ͪ̏̕͡ͅō͎̘̳̗̥̹̫̘̟̟̦̳̍ͩͩ̽͊̋́̐̑ͩ̒ͨ͌ͤ͐ͩ̈́͡ͅt̷ͦͣͭͣͯ̓ͨͮ͐ͨ̓̾ͮ̓̈ͨ̚̚҉̴͈͈̟͈̺̼̟̥̲̜̠̠͠eͯͦ̆̓̊̀̓̈́̒̽҉̸̴̶͍̙̠̜̦̲̙̩̣̲̩̥̭̩̺͖͢c̴̯̖̪͑̍̌͑͋̔͗ͥ͑͛̈̏̓̈ͧͥ̓͡t̩̫͇̜̖̻͙̦̞̯̤̳̟ͩ̇ͧ̎ͪ̂̅ͦ̇̅͋͆̎̂͊̍̚͘͢͞ͅp̶̙̯̟͇̳͇̯̻̟͓̖̲͂͒ͣ̀̔͗͂r̛̛̬̠̘͔̳̣̜̝̫͛ͭ͛̀̅̎͋̏ͤ̂̈́̍̉ǫ̴̤̬̳̋̇ͨ͆ͬ̌͒ͦͧ̀͡t̀̂̐̿͌̍͂̈́̅̍̾̓ͪ͗ͧͪ̓͢͝͏͍͕͍̳̪̟̙͈͖̳͔̙̺͖͙͖ȩ̭̩̗̤̻̬̞͔̖̣͍̤̹͙̺͔ͤ́͐̈́ͬ͜͜͝ͅc͑͊̅̉̓ͪͦ͏̨̘̗̙̳̺͉t̀̄͋̌̌̆͑͗ͮ҉͓͚̭̺̱̮̭͔̼̱̼̟͉̥̩͉̱̕͡ͅp̷̙̻̬͇̼͖̠̖̭̭̖̘ͮ̽̌͆̈̈́̈́̇ͩ͊ͤ͢ͅr̤͈̤̗̦̥̗̗̪̻̝̳̣̹̗͔̉͛̽ͣͬ͐ͣͤ̆ͤ͢͞͝o͚͈̭̰͆͑̐͂ͨ̋ͬ͆̈͜t̶̛̂͐̀̽̃̊̾ͣ̑̂ͣ̌͂ͥ̐͟͏͚͎̗̙̪̮̫͓̰͚̫̗̣͉ͅé̸̷̡̡̳̯̦̼̖̣̖̟̰͓̟̗̱͓̖̦̥ͨ̓ͦ̑ͩ͛̄c̈́̈ͥͬ͘͢͏̥̟̰̤̯͚̲ͅṫ̈̄ͧ͑͊ͦͯ̽̃̐̅҉̤͓͍̝̺͈̼̙̱̦̖̮̳͢͡͠͝p̧̥̱̙̤̮͖̯͚ͥ̎̇͑̈́͊̿ͯ̃̽͞ͅr̡̲̬̲̯̓ͦͮ̒͛̊̏̉ͤͯ̒̇̔̽̈́͂ͯͅo̷̢̜͍͇͖̘͛͋͗̊ͬͧ̏ͣ́ͫͣ͐̈́̚ͅt̛͔̰̺͓̲͖͕͉͖̥͂̉ͥͭͭ́̒̾́ͧ̔͑̀̄̿̈ͅę̷̗̣̱̲̦͎͇̙̼͂̑́̔̇͋ͩ͑͛̂̚ç̶̛̈ͮ̎̃̃ͩ͜҉̣̪̭͔̱̹͔t̴̵͒̀ͤ̔̇̒ͨ̾̀͒̆̉̏̚͏̹̳̙̻̳̟̜̙̹̼̞̮̟͙̘͞-̀͂ͬ̂ͪ̚҉̷̷̝̗̠̜̱̲̱̰͉͉̱̦̲̗̮̱͜"ͪ̇͒̏͢҉̤̭̭̠̣̪͕̣̖̤͚̕

 

Ardyn cackles, crazed laughter as he feels the air drain from his lungs and the energy drain from his body. 

The engines stop, the smell of smoke. 

̡̄̇͛̎̽̂̿͏̙̦͍͓̩̜̙̩̪̙͖

"N͉̠̩̞̠͝o͉͙̟̳͘c̛͔̬͓̗tị̹̣̗̺͖s̲̻̺̥͙̻̗." 

 

The last human whisper of his name, in a hissing, mechanical, wavery voice.

It's the most he's sounded like the original Ignis, he thinks with a mirthless smile he could no longer represent.

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

Year 20XX,

 

Such blissful days of normalcy. 

They seemed so far away now.

 

To keep himself sane, he forces himself to dwell on happier times. He says that, but it does nothing to help his fervor. 

It's all he has. It's all he has left. 

 

He tells himself this, as he walks forward to the future. 

The shards of his past, their past, tearing his feet. 

 

But still, he's in the lab. Staring up at the person he'd trapped behind glass, sound asleep. 

...

Ah, he'd never noticed before. 

 

The glass around this person looked like a coffin. 

 

The creator speaks again. 

"He's still alive. The magic within him is weak, we had to use everything we had, but he's still alive." 

It was obvious. Yet, the creator repeats it again and again in an attempt to steady his psyche. 

 

"His life systems wouldn't be stable. He'll sleep through months, years, decades at a time, his body frozen into the same physical state, but he's alive. He's alive." 

He pauses and seems to consider something. 

"We were lucky that...he did wake up once. But he didn't remember us. The trauma he had undergone was significant enough to take his memory away." 

 

Wasn't that what the creator wanted? 

His expression...seemed torn. 

 

"But he was alive. We talked about the days he knew us. Of course, we could hardly tell him that us wrinkly old prunes were the same brothers he once rode with." 

"And I...the fact that I could see him again, that I could see him be  _happy_. Well." 

 

In a discreet manner, he wipes his cheek. 

 

"But I won't be around for very long. I knew it ever since I saw him. One day, he'll wake up and we'll be gone. He won't know that, though." 

The creator walks towards the keypad again, staring at the monitor, where the code was compiled. 

"I've worked on this...Project Somnus. The spacestation parked in the stars that he loved, coupled with machines to keep him alive. And...to keep the friends that he has in his memory alive, whenever he wakes up." 

 

"..."

"That should be enough." 

" _...Why are you doing all this?_ " The AI...that was a part of me, asked suddenly. He looks startled, as he should, with a voice sounded so uncannily close to his. 

He recovers quickly though. 

 

"It's...the least I can do for him now. After everything he's done for us." 

 

Another question that burned at the back of my artificial tongue. I'd heard of it recently, another of what they called 'emotions'. 

Something that the lady had told me, between them. 

 

I'd calculated the chances he would answer. 

0%. 

 

" _Understood._ " 

 

He nods. 

"That was all I needed. This should be enough." 

 

He says to himself again. His hand pressing lightly against the glass, over the sleeping king's hand. 

  
"This should be enough." 

 

End of memory entry. 

 

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

 

**Author's Note:**

> Songs used for inspiration: 
> 
> Hyun-ae(Innocence): Analogue: A Hate Story OST  
> Prologue: Analogue: A Hate Story OST  
> The Smiths: Analogue: A Hate Story OST  
> Somnus: Final Fantasy XV OST  
> Somnus(w/ Vocals): Final Fantasy XV OST
> 
> I actually did take some inspiration from Analogue: A Hate Story for various parts of the fic. It's quite a good game, I recommend you play it! :>


End file.
